Play It Again, Harry
by MRSSPICY
Summary: An AU look at the dreaded Astronomy Tower theme in HBP. What ever happened to that Time Turner?  NOT SLASH


_**A/N: Welcome everyone. This one-shot is based on a writing challenge from Snape's Chambers (you know who you are). The participants are to utilize three provided 'toys' in a story – a person, place and thing. **_

_**My assignment: Harry, the Time Turner and the Astronomy Tower**_

_**SSSSSS**_

**Play it Again, Harry**

"NOOOO!" The forceful cry of horror cut through Harry's soul like a knife. It didn't make sense. Why was Dumbledore so angry?

Frantic, Potter ducked behind the wall again and peered out across the stone platform, his eyes flicking back and forth to take in the scene.

Before him, the icy air was floating over the edge of the wall in billows of fog. It glided silently along the surface of the observation deck to cover the fallen, dark figure, the victim's robes splaying out across the tiles like a Chinese fan.

Snape was dead.

In front of Harry, the group of Death Eaters stared in disbelief at the professor's body. It only took a moment, however, before Bellatrix came to her senses and began to growl at Greyback, "It's Potter! Get him!"

_Damn_, Harry thought. They'd seen him.

Quickly, Harry slipped the Time Turner back in his pocket and took a step back. He'd forgotten about the other Death Eaters and how they might affect his plan. It had seemed like such a perfect idea at the time. All he'd needed to do was go back a few hours and save Dumbledore's life. With a few spins of the Time Turner, Harry could retrace his steps, slip in between Snape and the headmaster and prevent the horrible act. And he'd known just how he was going to do it.

Surprisingly, it _had_ worked so far. After raiding McGonagall's office on Hermione's advice, he'd raced back to the now deserted Astronomy Tower to reverse the course of history. After three and three-eighths precise spins of the delicate necklace, Harry began to feel the world moving like a drunken carousel around him. People appeared stepping backward with lightning speed in a jerky whirlwind of motion until the present became his past.

The next part had gone swiftly. While concealed behind a pillar, Potter watched as his former self arrived with Dumbledore, having just returned from the cave.

Harry knew well what would happen next. Being careful to avoid being seen, especially by his earlier form now lying hidden and stupefied under the cloak, he waited. All he'd needed to do was sneak up behind the group and get the drop on Snape. A few seconds later, Snape did as Harry knew he would. The Professor slowly raised his wand, ready to cast the deadly Unforgivable. It was at that moment that Harry felt a sudden surge of anger. It slammed across his brain, and he knew with certainty what had to come next. _Intent_, he thought. _You have to mean it._

"Please, Severus …" the headmaster begged softly, the old wizard's plea to Snape adding an explosive dose of gasoline to Harry's rage.

"Avada Kedavra!" Harry's words rang out like a bright green shock wave, the blast knocking Snape to the ground. That's when Harry heard Dumbledore's anguished cry.

"NO, Harry!"

"What?" Potter gasped. Didn't the headmaster understand that Snape was about to kill him?

Unfortunately, Harry couldn't wait for an answer. The Death Eaters were on him in an instant. The Carrow siblings had cornered him like a caged animal against the wall.

"Draco!" Bellatrix shrieked, pointing at Dumbledore. "Do it! Do it _now_! Kill the bastard."

Suddenly, a quick set of Stunner spells hit the two Carrows directly in the back. Harry gasped. Who was there? Squinting in the dim light, he could see that the spells had been cast from somewhere behind him. Bellatrix and Greyback were hit next only moments later, all four falling like freshly cut trees in a disorderly woodpile. Wide-eyed, Potter lunged forward to investigate only to be gripped on the shoulder by a strong hand.

"Going somewhere, Mr. Potter?" queried a silky voice.

"Snape? How—"

Harry's head snapped back to look at the floor. Unbelievably, Snape's dead body had disappeared, followed a moment later by the four Death Eaters. Just as suddenly, Draco appeared at Snape's side along with another Harry, both boys looking like they'd aged beyond their years.

"Bloody hell!" the younger Harry exclaimed as he promptly evaporated into the mist.

"It's over," the new Harry stated determinedly, glancing back at Draco. The blond nodded grimly, and they both turned to Snape.

Severus stepped up to Dumbledore and looked him in the eye. Snape's black eyes were uncharacteristically sad. "Forgive me, Albus," he muttered. "But the plan has changed."

The expression on the Headmaster's face changed quickly form a wide-eyed look of surprise to an intense curiosity. "Severus, do you care to explain yourself?"

"It was simple. The Dark Lord had to be killed, and there was a simple solution, albeit unconventional and highly unethical. By cheating death and committing a few well-placed murders I devised a better plan than yours. It seems you needed a Slytherin to do your dirty work right from the beginning. Luckily, I happened to be available." Snape smirked with self-satisfaction and stood a bit taller, knowing he had finally succeeded.

"You turned back time? How far?" Dumbledore queried.

"Far enough," Snape responded, reluctant to reveal all he'd done.

"Yeah, far enough to stop him even before my parents were killed," Harry added. "It was bloody brilliant."

"No Horcruxes," Draco said. "No war. No bloody blackmail. No bloody Dark Lord."

Dumbledore looked quizzically at the two boys.

"It was Professor Snape's idea. Neutralize the love potion that Tom Riddle's mother gave to his Muggle father and poof. No potion – no lovesick Muggle – no Voldemort," Harry exclaimed.

Dumbledore shook his head in disbelief, a faint twinkle sparking in the old man's eyes. "That was brilliant, Severus. Absolutely brilliant."

Ignoring the headmaster's comment, Snape turned his attention instead to Potter. "I think it's time you gave the Time Turner back to me," he ordered lazily as he held out his hand.

"It's Professor McGonagall's," Harry insisted. "Not yours … _sir_."

"Hand it over, Potter," Snape directed quietly, his expression one that Harry knew all too well. Reluctantly, Harry pulled the necklace with its unusual bauble out of his pocket and handed it over to Snape. The professor fingered it lightly and examined the Time Turner with a triumphant sneer before he turned back to face the boy-who-would-live-to-tell-the-tale.

"NO!" Potter said as he suddenly realized what Snape had in mind. "You can't. You wouldn't—"

"I can, and I will," Snape said with determination as he began to spin the device in a fast rotation. "Now if you'll all excuse me, I have a marriage to break up."

"NO!" Harry screamed. But it was too late. As soon as Snape's form disappeared, Potter's features began to change. His face grew long and his body stretched. When Harry looked at his hands, his fingers had elongated. The nose he knew so well on someone else's face burst into a chiseled, hooked shape. The green eyes darkened to a glistening black and were filled with outrage.

"My god," Draco whispered, as he watched Harry transform.

Swallowing hard, Harry muttered, "Dammit. He's my father …"


End file.
